


Exhausted

by Blueberryshortcake



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Blue's Micro Aus, Gen, Merc!Wash, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-01
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-07-05 07:07:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,237
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15858693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blueberryshortcake/pseuds/Blueberryshortcake
Summary: Wash is sent back to prison after Sidewinder. He finds himself in service to Hardgrove once again sent to a planet in the middle of nowhere called Chorus.





	Exhausted

**Author's Note:**

> Original Prompt: caboose and wash in the au where wash was sent back to prison after sidewinder and is a merc on chorus for the micro fic thing :3

_“Control wants them alive.”_

Locus’ voice buzzed in his ear. He stared down at the wreckage of crash site bravo. Five survivors.

Five very unlikely survivors.

He followed Sarge with his scope and then moved it from Grif, to Simmons, to Tucker, and lastly to Caboose who was excitedly waving his arms around.

 _“Fuck, why exactly does Control care about these clowns? Look at them, they’re going to kill each other before we have to do anything.”_  Felix snorted.

Wash opened his mouth, but closed it saying nothing.

Locus made a grunting sound that Washington couldn’t quite translate. It sounded unimpressed.

 _“They’re insects, but they can be used,”_ Locus said.

“No, they can’t.” Washington said firmly.

_“Ohhh, coming to the party at last first name Agent?”_

“Using the Reds and Blues won’t work,” Washington ignored Felix. “If we get them involved they’ll screw everything up.”

_“Sounds like you know these guys.”_

“Yes.” Washington answered shortly.

_“Wanna elaborate?”_

“Not really.”

Felix huffed in frustration. There was a lot of friction there. Felix was a man who relished in doing what he was good at, and what he was good at made Washington sick.

And what was worse, Washington was good at the same kind of things.

 _“Control still wants them alive, for now,”_ Locus reminded. Felix whined.

Wash was still watching the Reds and Blues, thinking about it.

“I’ll watch them.”

-

The Mercs were fine with that. Felix had zero interest in the bumbling soldiers ‘too easy.’ And Locus was more interested in Washington’s interest, than in what the Reds and Blues got up to.

Wash sat on the cliffs in active camo continuing to scope them. He felt his irritation rise. After everything they were the same. They went through their rations in a week and hadn’t even started trying to fix the radio. Already he could see tension mounting between the two teams and then Caboose found the Mantis…because of course he did, and Sarge saw that as an act of war so he started to build his own massive killer robot.

It was exhausting just watching them.

-

Locus was pressing like he always did. About what command wanted, about the mission. Wash gave short affirmative replies. They wanted the Reds and Blues split. Have them in each faction to cause more chaos for the armies of Chorus.

What a terrible idea.

“I take Blue team, Locus takes Red team, we set up a big showdown, knock out the Blues–”

“Caboose is insanely strong, you can’t bet on him being taken out easily.”

Meta ripped an AI from him and that had only stunned him temporarily.

“Fine, the Reds go with Locus then, they seem pretty easy. I take the Blues, they build up some false hope or demotivate the people of Chorus, they die and we take out what’s left of the population in a big standoff. Easy.”

Washington watched Locus nod emotionlessly. It really was just a job to him. Monster.

But what did that make Washington. So good at killing others to survive like Felix, so easy to let himself rationalize it as a job, a means to an end like Locus.

It was exhausting. He was tired of it.

-

He watched the two armies move in, pinning the Reds and Blues in the middle. Caboose’s Mantis had done well to hold off the FAC, but the other Mantis had weakened it badly.

Washington slowly counted down watching the well orchestrated dance the Mercs had constructed. They were a good team. They knew each other well. Hardgrove sending Washington here hadn’t been as backup. That would have been redundant. He had figured that out quickly enough. Locus and Felix could easily finish off this planet and its inhabitants without his help.

Washington was there to make sure they didn’t have a payday. Hardgrove had never said that, not in so many words, but he expected that as soon as the armies of Chorus were dead he would get a private communicae to put a bullet in the back of their heads, and then, he and Hardgrove would be square.

Watching what Felix and Locus were doing to the planet… well he’d be lying if he didn’t relish the thought of when that moment would come. Honestly it was the only thing he had to look forward to.  He might not actively be involved in the plot to tear Chorus apart, but …

Just following orders wasn’t a good enough excuse for him. Not after Freelancer.

Washington had changed sides more times than he cared to think about, but that never stopped anyone from trusting him when they thought he was on their team. His old CO, Project Freelancer, the Reds and Blues, even the Meta. And everytime he had had his reasons, and everytime no one had suspected he’d do it.

Felix and he had friction, Locus had a weird obsession, but he had counted about five times they had both been off guard enough around him for him to plunge a knife through their necks.

Maybe it was low expectations. Wash’s mouth quirked in an ironic smile. He had never been number one, and never acted like he was. Felix believed in a fight Wash would lose, especially backed up by Locus, and Locus thought Wash was like him. That he wouldn’t betray a partner.

All these machinations were so exhausting…

The Reds and Blues huddled together. Wash watched dispassionately.

And then Caboose looked up. In his direction.

He probably wasn’t even looking at anything in particular, just zoning out in the middle of a battle.

And wasn’t all this his fault? Caboose in particular. All he had to do was give Epsilon to the authorities. Then it all would have been over and Washington would have been free of Project Freelancer and all it’s shadows.

Wash took a sharp breath. Cocked his gun, and started sliding down the cliff.

“Sarge!” Simmons cried out as his Commander fell unconscious, just as planned. That was when Locus noticed. His armor enhancements couldn’t run the camo and speed boost at once.

_“You’re out of position.”_

Yep.

**“What?! You didn’t get a new base too?”**

“Wait! What the fuck is with this guy?!” Tucker yelled pointing at him and the dust trail kicking up behind him.

**“No. No, I didn’t…”**

Wash sucked with speed enhancements, but the short burst got him into the middle of the Reds and Blues before Felix could react. His gun was still pointing at Caboose.

**“Well, you can come here and share my base with me. Oh! We need your help! Can you come right away? Can you come help us?”**

“Hello, Agent Washington!” Caboose cried out happily, somehow knowing it was him despite the new armor, maybe only because of the yellow accents, maybe because of an uncanny instinct.

Somehow not taken aback or worried that it was Washington pointing an assault rifle toward him.

“What?!” Grif and Simmons yelped.

 _“What the FUCK are you doing, Washington?”_  Felix yelled.

“You came to help!” Caboose said. “Did you want to join Blue Team this time? Tucker is a bad leader. I was leader for a while, but then I decided that I liked being a dashing second in command better.”  

**“I don’t think that’s going to happen.”**

Wash lowered his gun and pulled out the teleportation grenade.

“Hi, Caboose. Sorry I’m late. Sounds good.”

They all disappeared in a flash.


End file.
